Unsung Symphonies
by daerey
Summary: Ulquiorra goes through mixed emotions during the time spent with Orihime due to the similarities with Orihime and his past lover  in his human life . Cursed to remember her, he recalls memories and has newfound fantasies.  This is a in-work chapter fic.
1. I Remember

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach- it belongs to Tite Kubo._

**I Remember**

He said that he didn't understand what humans called a heart. He said that he didn't have one. He was a man of many lies.

They say that those who say little have a lot to say. Ulquiorra had quite a lot of unspeakable words to say. To scream. Countless sleepless nights were spent dreaming and thinking: _'Is it right to feel like this?', 'What if I were a human like the rest of them?', 'Would she have befriended me if we had met in simpler, more mundane circumstances?'._

The man had been cursed to remember his human life. It wasn't crystalline, but it was clear enough to feel the emptiness to part with all he had dear. He remembered he had a sister a few years younger than him, an abusive father, and an emotionally unstable mother. He remembers that he had dark green eyes and black hair on a naturally pale and smooth face. He remembers he lived in the north of Japan long ago. Also, he remembers that he fell passionately in love with an average height woman with long orange hair and brown eyes.

~:~

I remember when green met brown. From what I recall from my human life, she looked astoundingly like Chiharu. Chiharu. Chiharu.. I mentally rolled that name around on my tongue for a brief moment. _'One thousand springs. The irony of the name. We only had two.'_

"The Soul Society is no longer competent, contrary to my expectations. It seems to be that they are not aware that danger is at its highest at times of travel," I said evenly as the Garganta opened.

While silently screaming, I bit back the urge to embrace her like I did with someone quite similar many years ago. Nonchalantly, I continued speaking, "Only two body guards? How disappointing. You guys are rather unorganized. But that makes it more convenient for me. It's too bad, I really wanted to stay and chat."

One of the larger body guards stepped forwards and demanded, "Who are you? One of the arranacar?"

The body guard raised his sword against me, but Orihime intervened, "Wait! You had something to say to me, right?"

In order to prevent a (futile) fight with the accompanying shinigami, I swiftly dispelled a small Cero that eliminated them instantly. "That's right, Woman. I do."

Eyes still wide from shock, she managed to shout, "Souten Kishun!" Her little fairy things flew over to the fallen guard. Turning around to the other one, "Get away! Run!"

"But,"

"Run! I beg you!" As the pleading words fell out of her mouth, I dispelled another Cero. The moment I attacked, she expanded her Souten Kishun.

Impressed, I stated, "You can regenerate injuries to that quickly?"

"Follow me, Woman,"

As she was about to say something, I interjected, "Don't speak. You will say 'yes'. If you reply in any other way, I will not kill you, but I'll kill all of your friends,"

My innards were howling with agony, but despite that, I threatened her without a waver in my voice. She was not Chiharu. She may have astounding physical similarities to Chiharu, but she wasn't Chiharu. Chiharu was dead. She has been dead for over four hundred years.

I had to continue. For Lord Aizen's sake.

Although her eyes were still wide with shock, they held a faint sliver of defiance.

"Don't ask anything, don't say anything. You have no rights." I stated in a bitterly cold tone, "The only thing you have grasping in your hand is the throats of your comrades that rest on the guillotine of the string you hold. Understand this, Woman. This is not a negotiation,"

"It is an order from Lord Aizen. You are to be brought back unharmed. Come with me, Woman,"

* * *

_Authors Note:_Let's all assume that the first time Orihime met Ulquiorra was when he came to get her, okay?

Also, I know that the fact about Ulquiorra remembering his past is negotiable (with him being an arranacar and all), but let's not negotiate, alright?

Reviews are loved and appreciated very much. Especially ones that are critical. This is my first fan fiction.

_Playlist: Unmei no Hito by Fujita Maiko_


	2. Halcyon Memoirs

**Halcyon Memoirs**

My back towards her, "Remember, you can only bid farewell to one person." With that, I stepped into the darkness once again.

With without even a glimmer of light, I walked aimlessly though the peacefully black Garganta. It was unbelievable. It couldn't be physically possible. Someone who looked nearly identical to _her_. I was fine feeling empty; I was fine going on living this excuse of a life without reminders of bittersweet pasts. There wasn't anything that could have ever reminded me of her… before.

~:~

"Come on! We're going to be late to the festival!" a woman clad in an extravagantly vivid purple kimono shouted waving her long sleeves back and forth.

A man in a forest green slowly walked into view, "Alright, alright, Chiharu… Remind me again why we're going to the festival instead of a nice walk in the park or something of a more relaxing nature?"

"Because you lost the bet," The orange-headed woman deviously smirked.

Ulquiorra muttered to himself, "That much sake comes at a price," With a sigh, he continued at his steady pace.

"Move your feet, Ulqui-qui! Like this?" She stomped her feet heavily on the dirt path, causing clouds to billow up, "One, two! One, two!"

"Must you call me that?" complained Ulquiorra. Chiharu rolled her eyes and promptly grabbed Ulquiorra's hand and started tugging him into a quicker pace. Ulquiorra's legs stumbled a bit from the force of her pull, but soon regained their balance while running at a brisk pace.

Ulquiorra analyzed the head-strong woman in front of him. Her eyes were as brown as the rough bark on the bonsai trees, yet her hair was wild and fiery as if those trees were lit on fire. Smiling inwardly, he thought, "Beautiful…"

_-Later-_

Food vendors lined the crowded streets in celebration of the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival. Ulquiorra scanned the area near the shedding cherry blossom tree. Assuming that he'd find her more easily if he were closer, he waded through the crowd, careful to not get dango on someone else's clothes.

He spotted her. She was sitting on a two-seat stone bench with floral shadows dancing on her pale-cream cheek. Her eyes curved upwards and she shook slightly from laughter. _'What does she find so amusing…?'_

The crowd faded away and Ulquiorra found himself in front of not only Chiharu, but Chiharu with another man entertaining her with light chat most likely infused with jokes. The man's grip on the skewers tightened till his knuckles were remarkably paler than the rest of him. He could feel the venomous words pool in his mouth. Chiharu was on a date with him. He was courting Chiharu. The man with brown hair had no right to talk, nor even approach _his_ Chiharu.

"Oh, hello Ulquiorra!" Chiharu chirped, as if the situation was nothing out of the ordinary. Noting the man, "This is Hikaru. He's just come back from a trip to China, can you believe that?"

"Oh, that is quite far away," Ulquiorra stated simply. Bending down slightly, he placed a stick of dango in Chiharu's hand as he briefly kissed her on the cheek, "Your loved ones must have missed you."

"Ulquiorra! Don't do that in front of people…" she chided.

Hikaru merely chuckled at the young couple. The boy called Ulquiorra was jealous that his girlfriend was speaking to another man: himself. It was the spring time of their youth, it must be great. "Well," he said, dusting off his pants, "I've got to be going. I do have loved ones that I've got to make my rounds to."

Ulquiorra bid him a polite farewell, and whispered lightly into Chiharu's ear, "Come with me, love," His fingers circled her wrist in a loose circle.

The people around grew less and less until they were completely isolated. Hours sped by, spent only in the comfort of silence and the warmth emitting from the other's hands.

As the sky reached twilight, the moon woke.

"Where _are_ we going?" Softly spoke Chiharu.

"Need there be a destination?"

"No, but we do have to eventua-" Her voice trailed off as two hands tilted her head up.

"It doesn't matter. As long as you're here, I'm home," Ulquiorra's voice spoke, barely audible. He lightly pressed his lips on each of her cheeks, then her nose. Then finally, one below the nose.

~:~

How could a memory stay fresh like that after four centuries? I rubbed my temples and slowly stood back on my two white clad feet. I cannot afford to waste time here lost in noglalistic memories. I remain here only to serve Lord Aizen. Nothing less, nothing more.

Focusing my reatsu on creating the path back to Hueco Mundo, I shook off all thoughts about _her_, and the Woman.

_Author's Note:_ And the second chapter is up. I'm averaging at about seven hundred, eight hundred words. I'm working to build up to lengthier chapters.

I hope you enjoyed your chapter of Ulquiorra fluff. If you didn't; I plan to go back to the main story line the next chapter.


	3. Farewell

**Farewell**

As I neared the entrance of her chamber, I saw a beam of silver moonlight shining down on her, casting an inky black shadow that nearly reached my own feet. The lighting of that atmosphere made her hair seem to glow just a little, just a little to make me bite the inside of my lip.

I recollected myself and began to speak, "How unexpected. You look rather unscathed,"

Her hair flew around her flustered face as my words seemed to shake her out of her reverie, "Wha-? How long have you been standing there?"

"Just now."

My shoes clicked on the stone floor as I walked further in, "I have a message for you: Your allies have broken into Hueco Mundo."

Her features molded into one of somber disbelief, "Why..?" she softly whispered to herself.

"Why you ask?" I replied, "To save you. To them, there is no other reason other than that."

"They came… to save me?"

"..Yes." said I in an apathetic tone. "But for you, that should no longer hold any meaning for you are already our comrade in body and mind. That is what wearing those clothes means."

A fleeting look of pain crossed her features before it returned to her continuous look of sorrow. Her hand was across her chest as she stood there with the white uniform of Hueco Mundo covering her body.

Avoiding looking at me in the eye, she stared at my feet, "Yes, sir."

"Say it. For what purpose does your mind and body exist?" Loyalty to Hueco Mundo and Lord Aizen must come first. It had to.

Impassively, complied to my order, "Yes, sir. My mind and body exists for Lord Aizen and for his will,"

As she finished, I nodded with silent approval, then turned around and left through the corridor. The woman showed hesitation for only a split second, and she did not flinch. She is a woman of strong spirit.

A voice resounded from behind one of the supporting beams of the hallway, "Yo."

As the figure walked out of the shadows, he continued, "So, how's she lookin'? Our little pet princess."

A twinge of jealousy crossed my mind, "Nnoitra… I know all about it. Lord Aizen entrusted you with the job of looking after her, hmm?"

"So, how much did you 'discipline' her?"

I had no response to such a vulgar question. There were multiple reasons why I wouldn't do such acts, even if she looked like a woman in which I would.

"Aw, don't be so pissy. I was only asking how well you're doing with the pet. What _were_ you thinking?" the man had one arm on the wall above me as he talked. It would have been intimidating to… anyone else.

"You're that interested? You really must have nothing else to do," I said as frigid as I could manage.

Cocking his head slightly to the right, he responded quite cluelessly, "Eh?"

Stepping out of his looming shadow, I tonelessly replied, "Do not worry about that woman. Even before she entered, she was under Lord Aizen's control."

"The princess is under the Kyouka Suigetsu, huh?"

"Ridiculous. That would be overdoing it." I said, with an air of nonchalance, "When I first approached her about coming here, I trapped her in a psychological cage. I told her that she would surrender to us and her friends would stay alive. And additionally, as long as it remained unknown to everyone else, she was allowed to say goodbye to one of her comrades."

Squinting his eyes, the man haughtily said "You call that a cage?"

Ignoring his slightly piquing comment, I continued on, "By giving her a break under such pressure and then allowing her to say farewell to a friend. To her, both will be misrecognized as compassionate actions… She will loosen up a bit. Do note, however, that in those twelve hours, by using her friends as shields, we had no need controlling her thoughts. Furthermore, allowing her to choose which person to say goodbye to created an illusion that she was still acting on her own will the entire time. And then, I told her to come to the rendezvous on her own and taking her to Hueco Mundo from there. The illusion was only in her mind, and she will dampen her will to escape. "

The man with the ridiculously high collar slouched slightly due to my verbose explanation.

"Furthermore, the phrase 'Saying goodbye to one of her friends as long as no one else knows' could also be said in other words as 'Being able to have an impression that she said to one person only."

"…What the hell is that? Doesn't that also mean that you screwed up?"

"It is the exact opposite. The impression of giving a farewell is irrefutable proof that until the moment of surrender, she was acting entirely under her own will. Which means: The stronger that impression remains, the more it will seem to her allies that she betrayed them by choice. Unfortunately, it seems as if that last stage was not a perfect success. It seems to be that the Soul Society has removed themselves from the incident entirely."

With a rather odd, sinister smile plastered on his angular face, "I gotta' admit, that'sa well thought out plan. Or should I say 'As expected of Lord Aizen?'"

"Well thought out?" I questioned.

"To Lord Aizen, this is mere child's play. If the red herring works, fine. If it doesn't, that's fine as well. The main point remains—as of now, that woman cannot even attempt to escape from here.  
That is because that woman has neither the strength nor the will to leave."

**Author's Note:** We're back on track with the story line! There's not much fluff in this chapter. It was more to the point and following the story line. In the next chapter I will include some Ulquiorra and Chiharu fluff.  
Do not fret my readers; there will certainly be Ulquiorra and Orihime fluff when the story line allows it.


	4. The Rain

**The Rain**

The summer and the autumn after the festival were uneventful to the star-crossed pair, but with misfortune, the winter was. A letter came. Tears came. People left.

~:~

A man stood in front of his house, facing a wide, frosted field. He leaned to his right on a wooden training jian, reading a small scroll that had just been delivered by a scrawny messenger boy.

He read it over twice to be thorough. _'I couldn't be that good, could I? To be recruited...'_

It wasn't like he could turn down the order of the Lord. He was recruited to be in the army as a samurai, and that was that. There was no questioning, no arguing, and definitely no refusing (refusing would basically equal suicide). He was to serve for three years, and then he could return home to his family.

Although going through emotional turmoil, his face stayed calm as he gazed at the scroll and planned his next course of action: What to tell Chiharu. She's had him by his side for seven years. Though thick and thin, they always had each other within reach. Though those seven years, nothing was suffered alone.

Chiharu was out shopping for vegetables at the market before it closed for the day, leaving her heart at their home training in the backyard. 'Her heart' was at home, not training any longer, but devising a plan on how to break the news that he wouldn't be home for much longer.

Ulquiorra rolled the small scroll and placed it between his arm and his body as he turned and walked back into the small house in a large field he and Chiharu had bought four years previous. Although not married, they lived together with Ulquiorra's small sister. The Cifers had no parental figures, and the Oshiros had left to move more south. Chiharu decided to remain behind—she couldn't give up her love.

Midori appeared from out the door, her obsidian hair ruffled and still had the remains of sleep in her eyes, "Brother, what are you reading out there? Es' cold out there…" After the words left her lips, she stifled a yawn, her breath freezing in the early December air.

In a slight voice, Ulquiorra responded to his sister, "Reading. Go inside, I'll be back there in a second."

Midori didn't need another word. She pivoted on her heal and slid the heavy rice-paper door open and close.

The man in the frigid weather just stood there for the minutes to come, engulfed in thoughts. Little did he know that Chiharu was at the base of the hill their house was built upon. He was only to be re-connected with the present world by a voice that sounded as lovely as wind chimes in spring, "Ulquiorra! Guess what I found on sale in the market today!"

Ulquiorra's eyes turned upwards as he heard his girlfriend's merry exclamation, "What did you find, love?"

The woman lifted one of her many bags and proudly exclaimed, "Beni imo taruto!"

"Mmm, that sounds delicious! Midori would love to have some."

"Then what are we standing around outside for? Let's head in and dig in!" she said, waddling towards the main door. Ulquiorra caught her wrists; circulation slightly cut from the multiple bags around it, and relieved the girl from her groceries.

"Oh, let me take some; I don't want to feel useless." She complained as she proceeded to snatch a couple of bags away from the other.

"No, no." the man said as he shifted the bags to the other side, away from her reach, "You've done enough already."

"In that case, thank you," Chiharu reached up and lightly pecked the pale man on his cheek.

_-Later- _

Three were seated around a round, wooden table with a plate of beni imo taruto filled to the edges and up. The youngest seemed to be fully awakened by the smell of fresh confectionaries.

"Oo! Chiharu, you bought all these tarts!" Midori was the kind of girl who loved everything if it had sugar in it.

"This super-nice vendor called me over and I couldn't resist. The booth was full of so many delicious looking pastries I couldn't decide which one I would buy! He finally told me that his personal favorite was this tart," Chiharu held up the tart, "Beni imio taruto! I was originally going to buy six so it would equal two for each of us, but he threw in an extra five! Wasn't that kind of him?"

Ulquiorra stiffly nodded. Little did she know that that "super-nice vendor" was probably flirting with her. _'It's hard to keep a beautiful girl to yourself these days… And if I leave, who would take care of her when I'm gone? Midori? No, that would be the other way around."_

He must have said nothing for a while since when he looked up and decided to rejoin the conversation, both women had ate their shares of tarts and were staring at him in slight confusion.

"Do you not like tarts, Ulquiorra?" Chiharu asked.

Startled, he responded, "Oh, no, not at all. It's that I'm not all that hungry at the moment. I think I am going to save these delicious treats for later, love."

The younger of the two women looked away and blushed, embarrassed. She felt slightly intruding if her brother referred to Chiharu that way.

"Ulquiorra!" the older snapped, "Don't call me that in public-"

"But it isn't public" Ulquiorra intervened.

"But still, look at your sister. If you were her, wouldn't you be just ever so slightly embarrassed that your older sibling and their significant other began talking to each other and referring to each other in terms that are meant to be used in private?"

The man looked to his left to see the girl looking down, her cheeks seemingly turned into apple skins.

"Oh alright, Chiharu," he said, with emphasis on her name, "I think I am going to save these tarts for later."

Just as the conversation began to die, the doors to where they were eating were flung open revealing a boy with strangely brown hair who seemed to just start growing into himself, "Yo!"

"Hello, Yoshiro!" greeted Chiharu brightly as Ulquiorra simply groaned in annoyance.

"Must you fling the doors open and come trampling in to invite a girl to out somewhere?" Ulquiorra stated, implying Midori whose previous embarrassment seemed to have been long forgotten.

With a wide grin, revealing all of this front teeth, Yoshiro stated, "I must." Midori looked over to her older brother, silently asking him if she could comply to the boy's wishes. With a huff of a breath, Ulquiorra nodded. Midori rose from her seat and made her way over to Yoshiro, but before the two left, Ulquiorra added to his silent agreement, "You better treat her well, or I'll deal with you."

Yoshiro's bow towards Ulquiorra reassured him that he will.

"Don't worry, sweetie. He's a good kid. Midori will be absolutely fine" reassured the redhead.

"You haven't the slightest clue of what goes through a teenage boy's mind."

"No I don't, care to explain?"

"No, not really…"

_-That Night-_

"Come to bed already; it's not like it matters what your hair looks like when you sleep."

"No, it matters what it looks like the morning after." The woman at the small desk said, with a small silver mirror in hand, and a small comb in another.

"If you don't come, you won't know what I'm going to tell you."

"What can you tell me in bed, but you can't tell me ten feet away?" Chiharu reasoned as she combed her hair for the last time before she rose from her cushion to climb into their futon.

As they lay there side by side, the silence was overwhelming. "Ulquiorra, are you okay? You've been acting a bit strangely today, ever since I got back from the market. What do you have to tell me?" The woman had her worst-case scenarios raging through her head.

"Chiharu. I'm leaving." Quietly spoke Ulquiorrq, his eyes not meeting his partner's, "I've been enlisted as a warrior for the Lord."

A soft 'Oh' left Chiharu's lips in astonishment. "When are you le-leaving?" She was trying to keep herself from breaking—her beloved was going to be enlisted, away. In the army. No longer here.

"December twenty-ninth."

"Two weeks… Ulquiorra…"

Without a word, he embraced her in his arms and softly kissed the back of her head, "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it. Those years-"

"Years?" her voice squeaked.

"Three."

Tears started flowing. They came as quickly as the rain, but left as slow as a mid-winter storm.

In a rattled voice, she whispered, "Don't leave…"

"I can't stay. The orders…"

"Ulquiorra…"

_Author's Note:_ For those of you who don't know what 'beni imio taruto' is, it is a kind of tart.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was filled with angst, fluff, and dashes of humor. The next chapter will continue with the storyline and Orihime.


	5. Again and Again

Ulquorria stared into the back of Umio Kaitsu's head. It wasn't a particularly interesting head—it had the standard shape and was covered in long ebony hair which in turn was covered by a dark green knit hat. He was muscular and larger than Ulquorria in stature. He might have a lover at home just as sad as Chiharu when he told her of his departure. Ulquorria would probably never know.

He curled his fingers in his mittens in a futile attempt to sap heat from his cold palms. Why couldn't I have been enlisted in the spring? He let out a breath he had been subconsciously holding. It froze to become white plumes. At least it isn't the summer...

"It's time for a break and a meal," complained someone behind him.

"Yeah, taichou. We're starvin'. Starvin' soldiers ain't no good, ya' know?" shouted another voice.

Murmers of agreement sounded out, along with Ulquorria's grunt of agreement. He didn't care if they ate or stopped as long as it gave him the opportunity to regain warmth.

The captain let out a sigh of desperation, "You lazy bastards..."

He must be feeling the same since he relented so easily.

Ulquorria brushed off a thick layer of snow from a fallen log and unstrapped his sword. Just a few weeks ago it had been merely rain, albeit rather cold rain. As he sat down on the semi-frozen surface, he quickly realized how worn he was from the trek. The bitter coldness of the area preoccupied his mind entirely throughout the trip, so much so that all thoughts of other basic needs escaped him. He languidly watched the others who weren't as tired (or were terribly desperate for heat) began to gather fallen twigs and other combustible items for a fire.

"Want food?" Kaitsu's gruff and slightly scratchy voice asked. Without waiting for a reply he continued, "Course you do. It don't do you any good to have a grumbly stomach when some ass is tryin' to skewer ya'."

Ulquorria said nothing in return. He was grateful to the man for offering to prepare his food, nevertheless.

"You're a skinny little thing. I bet you're freezin' out here. Food will do you good, ya' know?" Came the man who complained second as he plopped down on the log beside him.

"It ain't gourmet, but hey. It's still food." said Kaitsu as he handed him a slightly charred fish on a battered tin plate. Ulquorria gratefully accepted it and bit into the fish's warm flesh. They say everything tastes better when a person is hungry. Ulquorria begged to differ. As he quickly finished, Ulquorria murmured a thanks, still full of gratefulness.

The man laughed, revealing chewed fish flesh, "No thanks needed, kiddo. You'll need all you can get to survive here,"

"You've been here before?" Inquired Ulquorria as he scooped up a rounded handful of snow to rub clean the plate.

"Not here, per se. This here general situation. Being enlisted and forced to walk around in the damn snow."

"Ah." Ulquorria brushed the remaining snow off and rose to replace the plate.

"The more you eat, the more energy you can store and the less likely you'll die of starvation." The man seems to have a paternal instinct. thought Ulquorria He should know that I'm not that much younger than him.

"Mm."

"You're not a talkative fellow, are you."

"I would not consider 'talkative' as one of my traits, no." With this, Kaitsu laughed again, though this time without the fish pieces in his mouth.

A/N: Yes, I know I haven't updated this story in a year. I've been meaning to update, but every time I tried to write a chapter, it seemed weird. It's also pretty boring when I write interactions between Ulquorria and Orihime. It's basically re-writing the manga/anime. It's much more fun writing about Chiharu and Ulquorria.

I will still write those chapters, but not as often, but if you all really like those chapters... Let me know and I'll see what I can do!


End file.
